Frustration with Switches in RV

JT & BT · 02-25-2016, 03:32 AM

Not sure if anyone has experienced this, but since we have owned our 38RL, frustration which switch to turn on.

Tried using label maker, but eventually they peel off (especially in cold weather)

So, this is what I did:

If you decide to do this, the top caps of switch cover come off, but be careful prying them off, they are only plastic and little tabs will break off in the back, if not removed carefully!

830hvacman · 02-25-2016, 03:38 AM

Nice update!! What material did you use?

JT & BT · 02-25-2016, 03:49 AM

Went to a local Trophy Shop that makes name plates and the like. Very reasonable, I paid $3.00 per cover.

I wish REDWOOD would do this on all the RV's they produce.

Shane Wood · 02-25-2016, 05:44 AM

Looks great. We have finally figured out which one goes where. After 16 mths fulltime

Tomkidder · 02-25-2016, 10:33 AM

That looks so good. I know most of the switches, but not the DW. She just turns them all on. I keep teasing her and telling her that RW could save a lot of money and just place one switch in the unit.

gford10480 · 02-25-2016, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomkidder

That looks so good. I know most of the switches, but not the DW. She just turns them all on. I keep teasing her and telling her that RW could save a lot of money and just place one switch in the unit.

Actually, if you have the LincPad, it has a master light switch to turn "most" of them on.

spindrift · 02-25-2016, 01:57 PM

Great idea and looks superb.

atom ant · 02-25-2016, 04:35 PM

Those look great! Vaughan (piper guy) saw that issue early on and helped quite a few of us out with custom labels. I think he set quite a few folks up at the rally last year as well.

Ford truck guy · 02-25-2016, 07:34 PM

Yup,
Thanks to Vaughan i turn on the light that I actually want on the first time!

gford10480 · 02-26-2016, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atom ant

Those look great! Vaughan (piper guy) saw that issue early on and helped quite a few of us out with custom labels. I think he set quite a few folks up at the rally last year as well.

I'm curious as to the "Hitch Air and Deflate" switches. I assume they control the inflatable tire on the pin box. Where they factory installed?

Shane Wood · 02-26-2016, 02:09 PM

Where are they located and are they labeled as such

atom ant · 02-26-2016, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gford10480

I'm curious as to the "Hitch Air and Deflate" switches. I assume they control the inflatable tire on the pin box. Where they factory installed?

Your Redwoods don't have that?

Naw its not factory, I put that in last year. I put a cheap compressor from Air Lift up in the pin box because I got tired of getting out a compressor whenever I wanted to adjust that pin box between towing to storage empty and towing fully loaded. I showed Vaughan and he was quick to send me some labels which really complimented the install!

spindrift · 02-27-2016, 02:12 PM

Now that's pretty cool.

RollsRoyce · 12-13-2016, 06:30 PM

I have one bank of overhead lights inop in living room. checked power to rockers in panel and all have power in and out. Does tat mean the rocker is bad? If so can only one of the three be replaced of do you have to replace all 3. Any done this and where is best place to purchase parts?

atom ant · 12-13-2016, 07:31 PM

Royce, if you have power into the rockers and back out when switched on, its not the rocker switches. You must have something else going on down the line. I would start with the first light closest to the hall and pull it down to test the wiring there. They come out of the ceiling pretty easy.

RollsRoyce · 12-13-2016, 07:43 PM

Are they like some xmas lights one out all out and will the rockers come out individually on the living room lights with 3 rockers?

r time soon · 12-13-2016, 10:22 PM

Royce, In our 36RL, we have light switches for our hall area in 2 places. By the steps and also next to the bed. Possibly you have 2 switches also? Maybe one is half way pressed in and not getting the 12 volts to the lights?? Just an idea. I would remove the lights and examine the wiring. Could be a loose wire nut, or a wire came out of a bell cap. It can't hurt to look.

Chris

atom ant · 12-13-2016, 11:27 PM

Royce, Nothing that fancy. They are just independent rocker switches that can be replaced individually. The power to them comes from multiple circuits in the panel, so a few of the switches may be powered from the same source, but overall they are independent.

If your test light is showing power coming into the switch, and power going out when it is on, then the switch should be fine. As stated above, some of the connections may have come off, but overall those switches are pretty robust.

Another place to check. The return ground (other side of the zip cord they use) for all of those circuits come back to a common bus bar. I wish I would have thought of this earlier. I don't know where it is on the Redwood, but it will be close to the fuse panel, maybe even behind it. It will be a long bar with all the white zip cord wires attached. Be careful you aren't looking at the neutral bus bar for the 110VAC stuff. Redwood uses a white lamp cord type wire for all 12v that may have a color band on one side. The colored band end goes to the panel with all the 12V fuses, the other side goes to that buss bar.

You may have just lost the ground back for that circuit. Those bus bars are packed and often the screws are not torqued down well.

Jim & Mary · 12-14-2016, 12:21 AM

Brad

The common bus bar connections is behind the load center panel and can't be accessed without taking down at least one basement wall panel. The panel closest to the door side (I think the panel that the vacuum cleaner is mounted in)

r time soon · 12-14-2016, 12:47 AM

True that the 12v common bus bar is located behind the distribution panel. This is what some of you call the breaker box, or fuse panel. It distributes 12 volts DC and 110 volts AC. This is designed to be removed. By code it has to be accessible behind it to work on it. If you remove the screws holding the cover on, and then remove the screws holding the distribution panel to the opening in the wall or cabinet, there is supposed to be enough wire there so you can pull the distribution panel out and set it on the floor. Might be easier to do during the daylight hours so you can disconnect the shore cord from your Redwood to work on it. Probably might still need a flashlight to see on the floor behind or underneath it. Wouldn't want pets to sniff around and get zapped either. Should be simple to remove and reinstall. Once you have eliminated that for the source of your problem, look at the connections at the lights themselves.

Chris

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